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Meeting report - Nuclear and cytoplasmic molecular machines at work

Simon L. Bullock
Apr 6, 2020; 133:jcs245134-jcs245134
Meeting Report




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Learning About Evolution Critical for Understanding Science

Many public school students receive little or no exposure to the theory of evolution, the most important concept in understanding biology, says a new guidebook from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).




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Adding It Up - Helping Children Learn Mathematics

American students progress toward proficiency in mathematics requires major changes in instruction, curricula, and assessment in the nations schools, says a new report from the National Research Council of the National Academies.




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Societal and Technical Challenges Posed by Nuclear Waste Call for Attention by World Leaders

Focused attention by world leaders is needed to address the substantial challenges posed by disposal of spent nuclear fuel from reactors and high-level radioactive waste from processing such fuel for military or energy purposes.




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New Report on Science Learning at Museums, Zoos, Other Informal Settings

Each year, tens of millions of Americans, young and old, choose to learn about science in informal ways -- by visiting museums and aquariums, attending after-school programs, pursuing personal hobbies, and watching TV documentaries, for example.




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Transferable Knowledge and Skills Key to Success in Education and Work - Report Calls for Efforts to Incorporate Deeper Learning Into Curriculum

Educational and business leaders want todays students both to master school subjects and to excel in areas such as problem solving, critical thinking, and communication




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K-12 Science Teachers Need Sustained Professional Learning Opportunities to Teach New Science Standards, Report Says

As researchers’ and teachers’ understanding of how best to learn and teach science evolves and curricula are redesigned, many teachers are left without the experience needed to enhance the science and engineering courses they teach, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident Is ‘Wake-Up Call’ for U.S. to Improve Real-Time Monitoring of Spent Fuel Pools

The 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident should serve as a wake-up call to nuclear plant operators and regulators on the critical importance of measuring, maintaining, and restoring cooling in spent fuel pools during severe accidents and terrorist attacks, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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Promoting the Educational Success of Children and Youth Learning English - New Report

Despite their potential, many English learners (ELs) -- who account for more than 9 percent of K-12 enrollment in the U.S. -- lag behind their English-speaking monolingual peers in educational achievement, in part because schools do not provide adequate instruction and social-emotional support to acquire English proficiency or access to academic subjects at the appropriate grade level, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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United States Skilled Technical Workforce Is Inadequate to Compete in Coming Decades - Actions Needed to Improve Education, Training, and Lifelong Learning of Workers

Policymakers, employers, and educational institutions should take steps to strengthen the nation’s skilled technical workforce, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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Learning Is a Complex and Active Process That Occurs Throughout the Life Span, New Report Says

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine highlights the dynamic process of learning throughout the life span and identifies frontiers in which more research is needed to pursue an even deeper understanding of human learning.




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New Report Provides Guidance on How to Improve Learning Outcomes in STEM for English Learners

A shift is needed in how science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects are taught to students in grades K-12 who are learning English, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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New Report Says ‘Citizen Science’ Can Support Both Science Learning and Research Goals

Scientific research that involves nonscientists contributing to research processes – also known as ‘citizen science’ – supports participants’ learning, engages the public in science, contributes to community scientific literacy, and can serve as a valuable tool to facilitate larger scale research, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.




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Investigation and Design Can Improve Student Learning in Science and Engineering - Changes to Instructional Approaches Will Require Significant Effort

Centering science instruction around investigation and design can improve learning in middle and high schools and help students make sense of phenomena in the world around them.




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Breakthrough Solutions and Technologies Needed to Speed Cleanup of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Sites

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends changes in the way that the U.S. Department of Energy manages science and technology (S&T) development in order to accelerate the cleanup of radioactive waste and contaminated soil, groundwater, and facilities at U.S. nuclear weapons sites.




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National Academies Review of Report on Supplemental Low-Activity Waste at Hanford Nuclear Site Now Available for Public Comment

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine – which reviews a separate report by a federally funded laboratory that examines options for treating low-activity radioactive waste at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation -- is available for public comment until Oct. 31.




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To Ensure High-Quality Patient Care, the Health Care System Must Address Clinician Burnout Tied to Work and Learning Environments, Administrative Requirements

Between one-third and one-half of U.S. clinicians experience burnout and addressing the epidemic requires systemic changes by health care organizations, educational institutions, and all levels of government, says a new report from the National Academy of Medicine.




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New Report Recommends Ways to Strengthen the Resilience of Supply Chains After Hurricanes, Based on Lessons Learned From Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends ways to make supply chains -- the systems that provide populations with critical goods and services, such as food and water, gasoline, and pharmaceuticals and medical supplies – more resilient in the face of hurricanes and other disasters, drawing upon lessons learned from the 2017 hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria.




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At Hanford, Experts and Community Members Weigh In on Nuclear Waste Disposal

In 1943, the town of Hanford in Washington State was selected by the Manhattan Project to be home to the first full-scale plutonium production reactor in the world.




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Federal Appeals Court Panel Clears Path To Executions, Throwing Out Lower Court Order

David Welna | NPR

Two judges appointed by President Trump to the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals prevailed Tuesday in a ruling that clears the way for the executions of four inmates.

The only dissenter in the 3-2 ruling was Judge David Tatel, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton. The judges were reviewing a lower court's injunction that had blocked the scheduled executions.

The decision was seen as a win for Trump's Justice Department, which issued new guidelines last July that would have allowed the federal government to carry out its first executions in 16 years.

The fates of the four men remain unresolved because their death sentences were sent back to the lower court for further proceedings.

In December, the U.S. Supreme Court declined the Justice Department's request to vacate the lower court's injunction that scuttled the planned executions.

At issue is the question of whether the condemned men should be put to death by the injection of only one barbiturate — pentobarbital — as called for in the Justice Department's July 2019 memo.

Many of the 28 states where the death penalty is still legal require a lethal injection cocktail containing not one but three barbiturates. Those states include Indiana, where the scheduled executions were to take place.

Pharmaceutical companies have stopped producing at least one of the three drugs used in that lethal mixture, and several botched executions have resulted from some states using untested formulas.

The 1994 Federal Death Penalty Act calls for executions to be carried out "in the manner prescribed by the law of the State in which the sentence is imposed."

Judge Gregory Katsas argues in his majority opinion that the "manner prescribed" simply refers to the method of execution rather than the protocols each state follows in carrying out each kind of execution.

"The government says that 'manner' here means 'method'," Katsas writes, "such that the FDPA regulates only the top-line choice among execution methods such as hanging, electrocution, or lethal injection. In my view, the government is correct."

Judge Neomi Rao, in a concurring opinion, argues that while the word "manner" refers not only to the method of execution, it cannot be interpreted in isolation. "It is a broad, flexible term," she says, "whose specificity depends on context."

In his dissent, Tatel says the best understanding of the 1994 statute is that it "requires federal executions to be carried out using the same procedures that states use to execute their own prisoners.

"Had Congress intended to authorize the Attorney General to adopt a uniform execution protocol," Tatel argues, "it knew exactly how to do so."

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.




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Nuclear winter would threaten nearly everyone on Earth




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Nuclear winter would threaten nearly everyone on Earth




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Sustainability programmes: eclectic toolboxes or clear roadmaps?

Sustainable consumption and production (SCP) programmes are frameworks to systemically develop sustainability. New research has analysed three national SCP programmes in the UK, Sweden and Finland and concluded that, rather than provide a strong roadmap for sustainability, they tend to be a toolbox of good but scattered initiatives.




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Learning from experience: an evaluation of a UK Green Infrastructure project

The development of Green Infrastructure (GI) in a UK case study has been researched in a recent study. Some issues caused by an imbalance in stakeholder power and conflicting roles played by major stakeholders were identified with the project. Stakeholder participation is central to the concept of GI and the research reiterates the importance for those implementing GI to ensure that participation is effective and balanced.




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Clear recognition of uncertainty is lacking in scientific advice for policymakers

Sustainable management of complex ecosystems requires clear understanding of uncertainty. However, scientific guidance documents show a lack of clarity and coherence regarding uncertainties and tend to focus solely on the need for more data or monitoring, new research indicates. The researchers suggest that scientific guidance should recognise uncertainty as an inherent part of any complex ecosystem.




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Sustainability assessment of different nuclear fuel cycle scenarios

A recent study has assessed the sustainability of different nuclear cycle scenarios in Europe, and suggests trade-offs are required between reducing the amount of uranium fuel needed, costs and proliferation risks.




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Fukushima’s effects on nuclear policy in Germany and the UK

The Fukushima accident in Japan has sparked international debate on nuclear energy. A new study has identified five factors which may have influenced the contrasting energy policy responses to the incident in the UK and Germany. Following the disaster, the UK is continuing to back nuclear power generation, whilst Germany is withdrawing support.




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Decommissioning is a significant part of nuclear power’s GHG impact

The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced during the decommissioning phase of nuclear power plants may have been underestimated in previous assessments, new research suggests. The study estimated that the decommissioning process for a German plant resulted in 1 651 265 tonnes of CO2 (or equivalent) emissions, or 0.825 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per tonne of waste. While the researchers acknowledge that impact is highly dependent on the unique characteristics of each decommissioning project, these results raise questions as to whether this phase has been accurately assessed in earlier research.




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Learning from Ecuador’s national conservation incentive scheme

Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) schemes offer direct payments for communities and individuals in exchange for conserving areas of land reserved for conservation for their environmental qualities. The results of an Ecuadorian study highlight key aspects for designing successful PES schemes and demonstrate how investments associated with PES can also benefit poor communities.




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Self-Learning Cars - Delivering personalized mobility experiences: Opinion

Speed control, road traction, wipers when it rains, maintaining safe distances, collision avoidance, and lane change are some of the prominent features.




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Clear identity needed for industrial recycling networks

Recycling waste products between companies in industrial recycling networks can bring environmental and competitive benefits. A recent study on whether such networks can be used to advance sustainable development more broadly suggests companies first need a clear, shared network identity before other types of sustainability-oriented cooperation can take place.




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Clearer bills could help reduce demand for water

Confusing water bills and complex water tariffs could be making it more difficult for consumers to monitor and manage their own water use, according to a survey of householders on the Portuguese island of Madeira.




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Cloud-based flood risk learning tool engages multiple stakeholders

A pilot cloud-based learning platform that brings together multiple datasets, models and visualisation tools has been developed with the engagement of numerous stakeholders throughout the design process. This tool could lead to informed decisions about flood risk at the local level. These types of tools and frameworks are effective ways of facilitating better decision making.




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COVID-19: Indian Internet infra not prepared for shift to online teaching-learning, says QS report

The report titled "COVID-19: A wake up call for telecom service providers" is based on a survey conducted by QS I Guage, which rates colleges and universities in India with complete operational control held by London-based QS.




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Hacking attacks on educational portal tripled in Q1 amid online learning

DDoS attacks during the first three months of this year have seen a significant spike in attacks on educational websites.




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Apple clears bills of partners in India for 2 months

Apple has also provided an additional credit period of 60 days to help them tide over business disruptions due to Covid-19.




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Hacking attacks on educational portal tripled in Q1 amid online learning

DDoS attacks during the first three months of this year have seen a significant spike in attacks on educational websites.




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The effects of nuclear power cooling systems on the critically endangered European eel

A case study in Sweden has shown that critically endangered European eels are being lost when they are sucked into the local nuclear power station???s cooling system. A process to pump the eels back into the sea could be beneficial to this species, the researchers conclude.




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What is ‘favourable conservation status’ for species? Researchers clear up misinterpretations

‘Favourable conservation status’ (FCS) is a critical but often misinterpreted legal concept in the EU’s Habitats Directive. Now, law and ecology researchers have teamed up to help clarify some of the most disputed aspects of this term for species. Correctly applied, the concept will help environmental managers, policymakers and scientists effectively protect biodiversity.




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Keep Teaching through Distance Learning

As many universities are moving quickly to distance learning, it is vital for educators to think carefully about how to adapt their approach to still deliver key learning outcomes for students in an online setting. Today’s guest blogger, Ramnarayan Krishnamurthy, is at the forefront supporting universities as they transition to distance learning. In his role as a Customer Success Engineer, he partners with educators to support them in achieving their goals for teaching and learning.... read more >>




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What threat do sunken nuclear submarines pose to fisheries?

Leakage of radioactive material from the wreck of the nuclear submarine K-159 in the Barents Sea could increase levels of radioactivity in local populations of cod by a hundred times, new research suggests. However, this level remains well below ‘safe’ standards set by the Norwegian government.




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Consumers more likely to choose GM if benefits are clear

People are more willing to buy genetically modified (GM) foods than they may admit to, according to a new study. The study found a substantial difference between the number of people who said they would buy GM foods when surveyed and the number who actually bought GM labelled products at fruit stalls.




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Cortex 73: Clear the Cortex Decks

Myke is perplexed with corporate branding, Grey has learned more than he wanted about USB-C, and they both answer #ASKCORTEX questions on how to get the career you want, how to start being productive, and to find out who could live longest in the woods.




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ALBEMARLE DESIGN-BUILD PUBILC HEARINGS OCT. 9-11 - Public invited to learn about six projects, submit comments by Oct. 21

CULPEPER — The Virginia Department of Transportation invites the public to attend one of three upcoming location and design public hearings about a...




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CITIZEN INFORMATION MEETING TO BE HELD FOR RT. 15/17/29 WARRENTON SOUTHERN INTERCHANGE - Public invited to learn more about the project Nov. 13 at Lord Fairfax Community College

CULPEPER — The Virginia Department of Transportation invites the public to attend a citizen information meeting to learn about the upcoming project...





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Bake Off semi-finalist Stacey Hart on learning to cook without sugar

Great British Bake Off semi-finalist, Stacey Hart, has taken on a new challenge - creating delicious treats without using refined sugar. Here the baker from Hertfordshire explains what prompted her to make changes and shares her recipes.




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SPONSORED: Always something new to learn at Celtic Manor spa

CELTIC Manor spa trainer Samantha Boyes has been moving quickly up the ranks in the year she has spent working at the five star resort.




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VDOT TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARING ON ROUTE 46 BRIDGE IN NOTTOWAY COUNTY - Public invited to learn more about the proposed bridge improvements on September 26

COLONIAL HEIGHTS —The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will hold a public hearing for a proposed rehabilitation of the Route 46...




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VDOT TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARING ON INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT AT HUGUENOT TRAIL (RT. 711) IN POWHATAN - Public invited to learn more about the proposed intersection improvements on Oct. 2

Proposed T-shaped intersection at Huguenot Trail, Huguenot Springs Rd. and Woolridge Rd. NORTH CHESTERFIELD —The Virginia Department of...